Staff Photo by Randall Higgins/Chattanooga Times Free Press
The only surviving piece of the original Fort Marr is a block house that currently stands at the city entrance to Benton, Tenn. Some want to move the structure, which has been a part of Polk County history since the Trail of Tears, to a more secure site.BENTON, Tenn. – Local residents are concerned that plans to move the 200-year-old Fort Marr log blockhouse might place the structure in a flood plain and also lead to admission fees.
Tennessee State Parks officials addressed those concerns Tuesday at a public meeting. The forum, attended by a handful of residents, brought out strong feelings about the blockhouse’s future.
The Parks Department wants to relocate the Andrew Jackson-era landmark, now outside the old jail in Benton on U.S. Highway 411, to Hiwassee/Ocoee Scenic River State Park in Delano, Tenn.
The park offers security, historical interpretation and increased visibility for the structure, park manager Bridget Lofgren said. The park received 40,000 visitors in 2010, she said.
“Where it’s sitting right now, there’s not a lot we can do,” she said.